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Gifts in wills As part of Forget me Knot week, please remember your favourite charities when writing or updating your will.  Gifts in wills have been the cornerstone of our fundraising since we were founded in 1884. They are vital if we are to continue to be there for children. Forget me Knot Week

Forget me Knot Week is a national awareness week that simply asks people not to forget their favourite charities when it comes to writing or updating their will.

Of course your loved ones come first and we recognise it’s a private matter done in your own time but please take part by tying your own forget me knot and help our work live on.

Why gifts in wills are so important to the NSPCC

Sharon Haugh, who works with one of our Therapeutic Teams, describes her work, made possible by gifts in wills.

"Childhood is so precious, and so easily destroyed by abuse. Once a child has been abused, painful memories can scar the rest of their life. Hopes and dreams can be lost and precious potential could be wasted. I know.Working at one of the NSPCC's therapeutic teams, I see the impact of cruelty and trauma upon young lives every day.

Of course, deciding to leave a gift to the NSPCC in your will is a big - and very personal decision. We understand that your family and friends will probably always come first, but a small percentage of whatever's left, once their needs have been provided for really could help more young lives fulfil their precious potential."

Sharon Haugh,
Craigavon Therapeutic Team

Your kindness, our commitment

If you are considering helping children with a gift in your will, you may wish to look at our legacy charter – our promises to anyone who is thinking about leaving a gift in their will to support the NSPCC's work.

Naturally, including the NSPCC in your will is something you may wish to take some time to think about and we want you to feel comfortable about your decision.

NSPCC Legacy Charter (PDF, 87.1kb)

Download our free guide

By leaving a gift to the NSPCC, you can reach out to children who will need our help and protection in the future. To find out more about how a gift in your will could transform children's lives, download our free Legacy Information guide titled 'Gifts in wills and the NSPCC'.

Legacy Information guide (PDF, 485.2kb)

It's full of information to help you decide whether to remember the NSPCC in your will, and how to go about it. It also gives you a closer insight into exactly how we work with children.

You can keep it with your important paperwork, so that if and when you come to make or amend your will, it's there to help.

Why make a Will?

Making a will is the best and simplest way to safeguard everyone's future and ensure your assets go to the people and causes closest to your heart. If you die without a legal will, your estate will still be divided up - but by the courts, not you.

Having a will in place makes life easier for those left behind, and helps eliminate misunderstandings. If you have children, you can safeguard their future by providing for them financially and, where necessary, appointing a legal guardian. With your solicitor's help you might also be able to minimise the inheritance tax payable on your estate.

Can we help you?

If you are thinking of making or amending your will, we would advise you to see a solicitor. However, our small but dedicated team of legacy gift advisors can also help guide you through some of the issues you should consider when making a will.

Although not legal or financial advisers, they can:

• Explain how a gift to the NSPCC in your will can help protect children from cruelty
• Arrange for you to visit a local NSPCC project or talk to some of our staff, to get first-hand experience of how we help children
• Explain about the various types of legacy gifts and their benefits
• Talk through the practical steps involved in making or changing a will
• Help you find a local solicitor
• Visit you to talk through any questions you might have.

For more information you can call 0207 825 2939 to speak to Alex or Jacqueline.

If you have already left a gift to the NSPCC in your will

If you have already included a donation to the NSPCC in your will, please accept our warmest thanks on behalf of all the children your gift will help.

However, we respect your privacy, so there is no need to tell us unless you’d like to. To help you feel even more confident about your decision, you can read our Charter (click on the above link to download), which lists the 10 promises we make to people who include the NSPCC in their will.

In our imperfect world, children will always need to be protected from harm.

By leaving a gift in your will to the NSPCC, you can help make sure we always will be.

The NSPCC is proud to be a member of the Remember a Charity campaign. www.rememberacharity.org.uk

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